Setting up with Asus My Cinema U3000 Mini - I don't have a clue (UK)

[Anjow]

I just bought a USB tuner stick, an Asus My Cinema U3000 Mini. Assuming that all bundled software is rubbish, I decided that GB-PVR must be better, so I got it and I've been trying to set it up.

What I've done so far:

Installed the drivers for the tuner that came on the CD with it.
Followed this advice on how to select the tuner as a recording source.

However now I'm stuck on selecting an EPG source.

The wiki said that "An XMLTV grabber guide (mainly for the Netherlands) can be found on the Link page." However there was no link there. I looked on the TVxb page, but that in turn said I should be using this XMLTV GUI. I've downloaded that, in the grabbers settings I have checked the UK Radio Times grabber, however when I click Grab Listings nothing seems to happen. This is what it says:

Code:

13:47:59 - Starting pass 1 of grabber UK_RT
13:47:59 -    Please note that all data downloaded with this grabber is copyright of the Radio Times website (http://www.radiotimes.com) and the use of the data is restricted to personal use only. Also be aware that this service may not remain free and in future may become a paid-for service
13:47:59 -    Clearing cache
13:47:59 -    Finished pass 1 of grabber UK_RT
13:47:59 -    0 programs found
13:47:59 - Combining Grabber Programs
13:47:59 -    Finished Combining Grabber Programs
13:47:59 - Writing XML
13:47:59 -    XML Written

I set the EPG Source in GB-PVR config to point to the XML file generated by XMLTV GUI but nothing is there. The file exists but selecting Update EPG does nothing, no channels appear.

I honestly don't have a clue what I'm doing, where am I going wrong? How do I set this up for use in the UK? I would have never imagined setting up a TV tuner and PVR would be so complex.

Edit: I've now followed this guide: http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php?t=15269 and I've got the listings, but the program still says I have no EPG set up. I suspect I have just got listings but no channels set up. I tried "Map Digital Channels to EPG channels" but no channels are detected. Starting to feel like I wasted some money here.

[sub]

Edit: I've now followed this guide: http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php?t=15269 and I've got the listings, but the program still says I have no EPG set up. I suspect I have just got listings but no channels set up. I tried "Map Digital Channels to EPG channels" but no channels are detected. Starting to feel like I wasted some money here.

Do the map channels step, then zip and attach the config.exe.log and config.exe-native.log and I'll take a look.

I dont really know anything about this device though, so I'm not sure how well it works with GB-PVR.

[Anjow]

Thanks for the response. Here they are.

I think the channels that show are the ones I selected in XMLTV GUI or something.

[sub]

It looks like everything goes ok but the device never manages to lock onto a signal.

Have you seen the device working with any software in your machine?

[Anjow]

No, not at all. Not even with the abysmal bundled software which I did try when this wouldn't work.

[sub]

I suspect if it isnt working in the supplied software, then it isnt going to work in GB-PVR. Sorry.

Maybe try looking for alternative drivers.

[Anjow]

I've got the latest drivers for it from the Asus website but still no change.

Is there some sort of utility that I can use to check signal strength on its own do you know?

[sub]

Sorry, not that I know of.

[bgowland]

I think the channels that show are the ones I selected in XMLTV GUI or something.

Yes - the naming of those channels is from an XMLTV source. An example is 'BBC1 North West' - as far as I understand it, Freeview always shows BBC1 as 'BBC ONE' regardless of where you are in the country.

Looking at the log it looks like you've set the region for Lancaster. Is that correct? Try setting your capture source to 'All Regions' and then rescan.

Cheers,
Brian

[Anjow]

Okay, I've now moved back to uni so I'm now trying from a different location. I have set it to scan all channels but still there is nothing showing up. It might be worth noting that my friends get reception on their normal digital TVs here, and that I still don't get anything with the program that comes with the tuner (Asus EZVCR).

Seems like it was indeed money down the drain and I'm too afraid to get a decent capture card in case this happens again and I waste my money again.